In the summer of 1943, I. Bazhukov commanded a partisan detachment in the rear of the Nazis on the territory of Belarus until the complete liberation of the Republic. During the defeat of the fortified point, together with the documents of the fascist headquarters, he captured three bags of money. He sent this money to the "mainland" on the plane with the wounded partisans. For successful operations behind enemy lines, Ivan was awarded the Order of Lenin in November 1942. He also had as a reward a two-week vacation home to Syktyvkar in 1943.